Marketing and Storytelling Insights with Dave Mastovich

GUESTS: Dave Mastovich, CEO and Founder of MASSolutions

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Summary:

Most mid-market B2B companies leave between 20% and 50% of potential revenue on the table every year. Not because they’re lazy. Not because their teams lack talent. Not even because they face insurmountable market headwinds. They’re leaving money on the table because of a systemic, predictable cycle that starts innocently enough. Marketing doesn’t.

In this episode of The B2B Revenue Executive Experience, host Cory Cotten-Potter is joined by Dave Mastovich, the CEO and Founder of MASSolutions, to discuss why most B2B companies get stuck in the stalled growth cycle, how to systematically gather insights across six critical target markets, and the key strategies to align your leadership team around a shared scorecard.

What You'll Learn:

• How to recognize the B2B stalled growth cycle before it destroys revenue
• Why systematically gathered insights are non-negotiable
• The framework to align leadership on a single scorecard
• How to define your real competitive advantage
• Why turning away bad-fit clients strengthens your brand long-term
• The B2E marketing strategy that drives retention, recruiting, and productivity

Dave Mastovich is the CEO and Founder of MASSolutions, a growth-oriented marketing consultancy known for its no-nonsense approach to B2B marketing strategy. With a background spanning radio, television, journalism, and healthcare leadership, Dave brings decades of expertise in behavioral insights, storytelling, and organizational transformation. He is the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller No Bullsh!t Marketing: 17 Contrarian Ways to Increase Referrals for Healthcare Services and host of the long-running No BS Marketing podcast, featuring over 500 episodes on marketing, leadership, and effective messaging.

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Key Insights:

1. [04:41] - The B2B Stalled Growth Cycle Explained

B2B growth typically stalls the moment leadership declares marketing isn’t working without being able to define what working actually means. That ambiguity triggers a cascading cycle: budgets are built on guesses, marketing teams are overloaded with tactical requests, sales blame marketing for weak leads, and leaders chase shiny objects instead of insights. The result is wasted resources, ineffective campaigns, and 20% or more of revenue left on the table each year.

2. [08:49] - How to Break the Cycle

Teams fall into rigid roles under pressure, defaulting to habits that stall growth. The way out is to replace assumptions with systematically gathered insights from all six target groups: potential customers, current customers, current employees, prospective employees, centers of influence, and referral sources. Most organizations only focus on one or two and neglect the rest. By pairing qualitative and quantitative feedback with 80/20 analysis, companies can build a unified growth system that aligns leadership, sales, marketing, and HR around the same scorecard.

3. [13:06] - Why Leadership Alignment Is Crucial to Growth

Breaking out of stalled growth requires courageous leadership willing to own growth at the very top. Dave makes it clear: growth can’t be delegated to sales or marketing. It must be driven directly by the CEO and senior team. And that means confronting ‘turf builders,’ navigating egos, and championing change even when it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes that calls for an external catalyst, someone unafraid to challenge the room, cut through resistance, and absorb the blowback that naturally comes with transformation.

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FAQs

1. Q: What exactly is the B2B Stalled Growth Cycle?

A: It’s the recurring trap where companies say marketing isn’t working, but can’t define what working means. Budgets get set by guessing, marketing becomes a reactive service department, sales and marketing point fingers, and leaders chase shiny tactics instead of insights. The result? Missed growth opportunities and 20% or more of potential revenue left on the table every year.

2. Q: What’s the first step to breaking the cycle?

A: Stop budgeting by guessing and start gathering insights systematically. That means going beyond customers to listen to six key audiences: potential customers, current customers, current and prospective employees, and current and prospective referral sources. When you understand what each group truly values, you can align messaging, prioritize effectively, and make marketing accountable for real growth.

3. Q: What’s the role of leadership in fixing stalled growth?

A: Breaking out of stalled growth requires courageous leadership willing to own growth at the very top. Dave makes it clear: growth can’t be delegated to sales or marketing. It must be driven directly by the CEO and senior team. And that means confronting ‘turf builders,’ navigating egos, and championing change even when it’s uncomfortable.

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